It may sound shocking, but one of the many aspects I love about my job is that people in our community, as well as those I know outside of our community, feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and perspectives about the Jewish community with me. And in particular, both the rise of antisemit…
This week, like many other parents in our community, my daughter started school. While I am sure most parents are more excited about what lies ahead in this school year than their children, it is a year full of opportunities, possibilities, and a return to a more structured schedule. And to …
I am a Zionist and will not apologize for being one. I believe that Israel has a right to exist as a Jewish state. I know that Hamas is a terrorist organization, and I firmly believe that Israel has a right to defend itself.
And… I’m incredibly concerned, annoyed, and frustrated that th…
Over the last several weeks, I’ve participated in a series of different meetings where the situation between Israel and Hamas has come up. These meetings have taken place with local school district staff, elected officials (or their staff), and other stakeholders. In each of these cases, w…
For as long as I can remember, I have always enjoyed sitting down to watch a good movie - whether on my couch at home or in a movie theater. Over the years, I must have seen hundreds of different movies. And for some reason, the ones that often stick with me tend to have a quote or two that …
If you were to walk into my office, you will see two diplomas hanging on my wall. One is from Hebrew Union College, where I earned a master's degree in Jewish Communal Service (now called Jewish Nonprofit Management), and the other is from USC for my Master's in Social Work. Both degrees hav…
Saturday night, my family and I had a chance to catch Parade at Ahmanson Theater. It was a show I had wanted to see for a long time, particularly due to its subject matter and its timeliness. If you are not aware, the musical takes place in Georgia in the 1910’s and centers around a rape a…
Shortly after the news of the US bombing Iran’s three nuclear sites, I got a call from my oldest daughter asking if I could explain both what led up to this moment and what it all means. I suspected she would call to understand the issue better since it is so complex, rooted with historica…
On Thursday, September 27, 2012, during Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's UN General Assembly address, he showed what was colloquially called the "Bibi Bomb," a diagram that looked more like something from Boris and Natasha. However, its impact as a visual remains with me today. He was tryi…
You may not know this, but on this day in 1692, the first execution following the Salem Witch trials took place. Bridget Bishop was hanged as a result of people accusing her of being a witch. And if I’m not mistaken, it was around this time that the term “witch hunt” entered society’…
For the last year and a half, I have served as a commissioner on the LA County Commission on Human Relations. It’s been a powerful experience and, sadly, very timely, especially in light of much of the work our Jewish Federation has been doing over the last several years.
When an antisemi…
Over the weekend, my wife saw that a new documentary, Deaf President Now, was available to stream, and she was excited to watch it. This documentary captures the 8-day protest in 1988 by Gallaudet students following the university's board of trustees' hiring of its 7th President, someone who…
On Sunday, as word began to leak out that Edan Alexander, the last remaining American-Israeli hostage who was kidnapped on October 7 and held in captivity for 583 days, was about to be freed, the Jewish world, as well as those who had been following the situation, had a chance to celebrate. …
In the closing scene of Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Ferris, played by Matthew Broderick, looks directly into the camera and says, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."
I've been thinking about this over the last week or so as we contin…
As a kid, I always loved playing soccer and baseball, especially being part of a team. I enjoyed the camaraderie, the shared experiences, and the competition. Being a part of something, working together with others, competing, and working towards the same goal is powerful.
Over the last…
